Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-02
ALMOST READY FOE RAILS.
The Savannah and Tybec Road In
spectcd by Engineers.

Savannah to Tybee in thirty minutes
That ia the time it will take the sweltsr
ing citizen next summer to go from The
hot and dusty town to the inyigoratins
sea breezes and delightful beach OF Tybe'
Island. THAT IS what the Savannah and
Tybee railroad Is going to do" was tht
unanimous verdict Of the party who
yesterday went on n tour of inspection
over the line OF road. AT the Invitation
OF Capt. ID. e. Purse. the enterprising anC
enthusiastic President Of the road, thf
following gentlemen, escorted by the
President, formed this party: Col. John
screyen. Col. j. II. Estll, Lieut.. o. NJ
Carter, Unued States engineer; ". i
w. Howe, Jr.. Chief Engineer OF the Sa'
yannah, florida and Western railway
T.. j. Thomas, Esq, well known civil
engineer; Mr.. john P0ste!I, chief engi-
neer OF the road; Maj. +. Il. Inness, con.
tractor for the road, add Representatives
OF the Evening Tines and MORNING
NEWS.
The party left Capt. Purses residence
at 10 O'Clock and drove in carriages to
the point where the road will connect
with the Savannah, Florida and Western.
at the foot OF South Bread street. Wors
men were buslly engaged there IN unlOss!-
ing train of crOssties which had jp''
been received by the new route. FrATF
TINS point for a distance OF over a raiis
toward BrutOn Hill was a stretch g.
straight and level road bed. The bed foi
this distance Is almost entirely an EN-
banSment.
The party drove by way of the Thunder
bolt road around to Bruton Hill, where
they again arrived at the road bed. There
the carriages were left and the
a.
toms Bluff was walked. This bed is also
over high and dry land, with alternate
cuts and fills and a few embankmeuts.
AT CaustoH's Bluff will be the picnic
grounds OF the road, and it's natural
advantages, together with the
many improvements promised by the
road, WillimRke IL most delightful place
for the purpose. The place is thickly
covered with magnificent 1--we oaks and
near by are the famous fortifications
which were used during the war and
which are said to be the largest earth
works that were thrown up during those
years OF bloodshed.
From Caus on's Bluff to Tybee are the
marshes which made so many predict q
failure in the building OF the road. From
this bluff to Understands creek,
distance Of about mile.
a solid and substantial embankment has
been thrown up right through the marsh.
ms embankmenG waa critically
examined by all the gentlemen who were
experienced in such matters, and the
elect OF the examination was to bring
forth ordinations of astOnishment from
all. Col. Screveu said that he had all the
time doubted the possibility Of building
an embankment through sucn a marsh,
hut he was now convinced. 1.-The bank"
be said, ais tirmer than il made of sand,
and VIII make a magnificent road bed,n
Said Mr.. Howe. Che! Engineer of the
Savannah, Florida and Western: "Icame
IA skeptic, hardly believing in the ieasI-
btilty of the plan, but the work L see is an
agreeable surprise, and surpasses my ex-
pectations."
The problem Is solved" said Lieut.. o.
NJ. Carter, who has charge of the harbor
improvements az this port. ''From nv
experience with the marsh mud did not
think that such AN embankment could
be built, and l must confess that [
am astOnished.o The gentlemen
were all surprised az the
remarkable frmness and tenacIty of the
mud out of which the embankment was
built. and were unanimous in their opin.
ion as to its tirmness and stability.
Mixed as il is with straw and grass il
forms an embankment almost as strong
az if made OF concrete. The embankment
from Habersham's creek to Wilmington
river, commonly known as st. Augustine
creek, is complete, with the exception OF
few days work, which will be finished
during the present week. A strong and
substantial trestle is to be built across
Habersnam's creek, ana the road bed
with the exception OF sanding and bal
lasting, wilt be complete from the Savan-
nan, Florida and Western junction to
Wilmington river.
From Causton's Bluff some OF the party
came oack to towp~.IRe others walked
on TO landlnGG rsham's creek
Aw1 lPleted the tour of in
spg ext point the road will
touS Tossing Wilmington river
will be McQueen's Island, where it will
run almost parallel with the Savan-
nah river for about six miles.
In order to reach this island
an iron drawbridge 200 feet
long, with an opening of so feet, will be
built across Wilmington river. Work Ia
going on on McQueen's Island in three
different places. and within few DAYS a
force of 900 men will be put to work on
this part of the road. Maj. Inness, who
has the contract for building the road,
says there will be 113,000 cubic yards OF
embankment TO be thrown up on this
island. ard that the force of 800 men can
do 1t in thirty days. a
Another iron drawbridge, 200 feet in
length, built entirely on creosote piling
ana with an so foot opening, will span
Lazaretto creek from McQueen's Island
to Kings landing on Tybee Island. From
Kings landing TO where the road will loin
the old Tybee railway track, a distance OIL
about a mile and three-quarters, the EN-,
bankment is complete with the exception
of few short gaps which will soon be
filled in. 1t is estimated that the
road bed will all be com.
plete, sanded and ballasted, Within
the next six weeks at the most, when the
work of laying the track will be com
menced. The calculation at pre- sent is tC
have this all finished and to have cars
running from Savannah to Tybee BY
April l.
Ready for Business.
The 0glethOrpe Savings and Trust